Extendable, rollable member

ABSTRACT

An extendible, coilable member is reversibly configurable between a coiled form and an extended form. At least one surface of the member, typically an inner surface, is provided with resilient protrusions. Upon extension of the member to the extended form, the protrusions adopt a first state in which they protrude from the surface of the member. Upon rolling of the member to the coiled form, the protrusions flex so as to lie between the turns of the coiled member.

This application is the national phase of international applicationPCT/GB99/01708 filed May 28, 1999 which designated the U.S.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an extendible, coilable member.

In WO-A-88/08620 and WO-A-97/35706, the entire disclosures of which areincorporated herein by reference, there are disclosed extendible;coilable members which are reversibly configurable between a coiled formand an extended form. A perspective view of an example of such a member1 is shown in FIG. 1 in part coiled form 1 a and part extended form 1 b.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is providedan extendible, coilable member which is reversibly configurable betweena coiled form and an extended form, at least one surface of which isprovided with one or more resilient protrusions such that upon extensionof the member to the extended form, the or each protrusion adopts afirst state in which it protrudes from the surface of the member, andwhich upon rolling of the member to the coiled form flexes so as to liebetween the turns of the coiled member.

The protrusions will typically be in a relaxed state when the member isin its extended form and collapse against said surface when the memberis in its coiled form. The member has particular utility in providing ajacket for surrounding another object, such as a pipe, for thermal,sound or electrical insulation for example.

Said surface may be an inner surface and the or each protrusion mayprotrude inwardly of the member when said member is in its extendedform.

Said surface may be an outer surface and the or each protrusion mayprotrude outwardly of the member when said member is in its extendedform.

Each of inner and outer surfaces of the member may be provided with atleast one protrusion, the or each protrusion on the inner surfaceprotruding inwardly of the member and the or each protrusion on theouter surface protruding outwardly of the member when said member is inits extended form.

There may be provided a second extendible, coilable member having asurface attached to the free end of the or at least one of theprotrusions of the first member such that said second member can liebetween the turns of said first member in its coiled state and isseparated from the surface of the first member by the resilientprotrusions in the extended state.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is providedan extendible member which is reversibly configurable between a coiledform and an extended form, the inner surface of which is provided withone or more resilient sheet members affixed to, or formed as part of theextendible member, and the resilient nature of which is such that uponextension of the member they adopt a relaxed state in which theyprotrude inwards from the surface of the member, but upon rolling canflex so as to lie within the interstices of the coil.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is providedan extendible member which is reversibly configurable between a coiledform and an extended form, the outer surface of which is provided withone or more resilient sheet members affixed to or formed as part of theextendible member, and the resilient nature of which is such that uponextension of the member they adopt a relaxed state in which theyprotrude outwards from the surface of the member, but upon coiling canflex so as to lie within the interstices of the coil.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is providedan extendible member which is reversibly configurable between a coiledform and an extended form, both surfaces of which are provided with oneor more resilient sheet members, affixed to or formed as part of theextendible member, and the resilient nature of which is such that uponextension of the member they adopt a relaxed state in which theyprotrude inwards and outwards from the surfaces of the member, but uponcoiling can flex so as to lie within the interstices of the coil.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is providedan extendible member which is reversibly configurable between a coiledform and an extended form, one or both surfaces of which are providedwith one or more resilient sheet members extending from the surface uponextension of the member, the ends of which are further attached to someother member, cable, optical fibre or other device which can lie in theinterstices of the coil when the member is in the coiled state, but uponextension will be separated from the surface of the member and held awayfrom the inner or outer surface by means of the resilient extensions tosaid surface described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way ofexample with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of an extendible, coilablemember which is reversibly configurable between a coiled form and anextended form, showing the member in part coiled form and part extendedform;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a first example of a member according to thepresent invention in its extended form;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section through part of the member of FIG. 2 in itscoiled form; and,

FIG. 4 is an end view of a second example of a member according to thepresent invention having inner and outer skins.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an end view of a first example of amember 2 according to the present invention. The member 2 is reversiblyconfigurable between a coiled or rolled form and an un-rolled,longitudinally extended form. The member 2 is shown in its extended form2 a in FIG. 2. The member 2 may be manufactured and constructed inaccordance with the teachings of WO-A-88/08620 or WO-A-97/35706 or maybe of any other suitable form.

In the example shown, the inner surface of the member 2 is provided witha plurality of resilient protrusions 2 b The protrusions 2 b may be longsheet members which run the whole or substantially the whole or only apart of the length of the extended member 2. For example, there may bethree long protrusions 2 b of this type arranged at angles of 120° toeach other around the inner surface of the member 2. As an alternative,the protrusions 2 b may be in the form of groups of short fins 2 b, thefins 2 b being arranged equiangularly within the group and the groupsrepeated at intervals along the whole or substantially the whole or onlya part of the length of the extended member 2. The groups may bearranged so that the various fins 2 b all overlie each other when viewedfrom the end or the groups or some of the groups may be offset from eachother to angularly space the or some of the fins 2 b down the length ofthe extended member 2.

The protrusions 2 b form spacers along the length of the member 2 suchthat, for example, if the member 2 is deployed around a pipe or otherextended object, the protrusions 2 b act to keep the member 2 spacedaway from the outer surface of the pipe or other object, the member 2thereby providing a jacket for said pipe or other object.

When the member 2 is coiled from its extended form 2 a to its coiledform, the protrusions 2 b flex by virtue of their resilience, and sodeform to lie within the turns 3 of the coiled member 2 as shown in FIG.3. Similarly, when the member 2 is rolled from its coiled form to itsextended form 2 a, the protrusions 2 b flex outwards to their deployedconfiguration.

If desired, provision may be made for the protrusions 2 b to lie withincavities in the surface of the extendible member 2, such that they makeno addition to the thickness of the member 2 in its coiled form.

The protrusions 2 b may be made of the same material as the main body 2a of the extendible member 2 or may be made from a different material.The protrusions 2 b may be integrally formed with the main body 2 a ofthe extendible member 2 or may be affixed thereto by any suitable meansincluding, for example, gluing or welding. Preferably, the protrusions 2b subtend an acute angle at their point of contact with the main body 2a to facilitate rolling of the member 2 to its coiled form. Similarly,the protrusions 2 b preferably curve away from the surface of the mainbody 2 a as shown.

As shown in FIG. 4, a member 2 of this type may be combined with afurther extendible member, either of the type disclosed in WO-A-88/08620or WO-A-97/35706 or of any other suitable type, to form a member whichupon extension forms a double skinned member 4, the inner and outerlayers or skins 4 a,4 b of which are separated by the resilientprotrusions 4 c. The protrusions 4 c may be fixed to or integrallyformed with one or both of the inner and outer skins 4 a,4 b.

When rolled from the extended form to the coiled form, the two skins 4a,4 b roll together, with the resilient protrusions 4 c flexing so as toallow them to come into close proximity as they coil. In this case, thetensile and compressive flexibility of the extendible members providingthe inner and outer skins 4 a,4 b are preferably such as to permit themto roll together over the desired length. Any number of furtherextendible members may be added in this manner to createmultiple-skinned members.

When deployed over a pipe or other object as a jacket, or in the case ofmultiple skinned devices such as described above, the cavity or cavitiesformed between the extendible member 2 and the object over or aroundwhich it is placed, or the cavity or some or all of the cavities lyingbetween the skins 4 a,4 b of the double or multiple skinned member 4,may be filled with foam or other material, such as to provide thermal,sound, and/or electrical insulation, and/or impact resistance and/orincreased rigidity.

Where desirable, the edges of any extendible member may be joined orsealed, temporarily or permanently, by any desired means such as, forexample, welding, zip-type fastening, etc. Where sealing is carried outon the edges of the skins of a multiple skinned device 4, a concentricpipe is created, capable of carrying separated or bidirectional flows.

Where desirable, cables, optical fibres, heating elements or any otherdevice which can accept rolling may be incorporated into one or more ofthe extendible members.

It is expected that the present invention will prove of particularutility in the provision of insulated or heated jackets for theprotection of pipelines, or other structures, where it can be deployedover said pipelines either at the time of laying, or retrofitted toexisting installations, providing a protective insulating jacket, whichmay also incorporate means for monitoring the condition of saidpipeline.

An embodiment of the present invention has been described withparticular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will beappreciated that variations and modifications may be made to theexamples described within the scope of the present invention. Forexample, the protrusions 2 b may be provided on the outer surface of themember 2 to protrude outwardly. Protrusions 2 b may be provided on boththe outer and inner surfaces of the member to protrude respectivelyoutwardly and inwardly.

What is claimed is:
 1. An extendible, rollable member comprising: anelongated sheet member which is reversibly configurable between a rolledform and an un-rolled, longitudinally extended form, in said extendedform said sheet member assuming a curled form and having inner and outersurfaces; and at least one resilient protrusion provided on at least oneof said surfaces of said sheet member, each said protrusion being fixedalong a length thereof to the respective surface of the sheet memberalong a length direction of the sheet member such that upon extension ofthe sheet member to the extended form, each protrusion adopts a firststate in which it protrudes from the respective surface of the sheetmember so as to project from a plane of the respective surface and suchthat upon rolling of the sheet member to the rolled form each protrusionflexes so as to lie between the turns of the rolled sheet member.
 2. Amember according to claim 1, wherein said at least one resilientprotrusion is provided on said inner surface and each protrusionprotrudes inwardly of the sheet member when said sheet member is in saidextended form.
 3. A member according to claim 1, wherein said at leastone resilient protrusion is provided on said outer surface and eachprotrusion protrudes outwardly of the sheet member when said sheetmember is in said extended form.
 4. A member according to claim 1,wherein said inner and outer surfaces of said sheet member are eachprovided with at least one protrusion, each protrusion on the innersurface protruding inwardly of the member and each protrusion on theouter surface protruding outwardly of the sheet member when said sheetmember is in said extended form.
 5. An assembly comprising a firstextendable, rollable member according to claim 1, and a secondextendable, rollable member, wherein at least one said protrusion isfixed along a first longitudinal edge thereof to said respective surfaceand is fixed along a second longitudinal edge thereof, spaced from saidfirst edge, to said second extendable, rollable member whereby saidsecond member lies between the turns of said sheet member of said firstmember when the sheet member is in said rolled form and is separatedfrom the respective surface of said sheet member of said first member bythe at least one resilient protrusion when the sheet member is in saidextended form.
 6. An extendible member comprising: an elongated sheetmember which is reversibly configurable between a rolled form and anun-rolled, longitudinally extended form, in said extended form saidsheet member assuming a curled form and having inner and outer surfaces;and at least one resilient sheet element, each said sheet element beingfixed along a length thereof to said inner surface along a lengthdirection thereof, and said sheet elements being resilient, whereby uponextension of the sheet member the sheet elements protrude inwards fromthe inner surface of the sheet member, but upon rolling of the sheetmember the sheet elements flex so as to lie within the interstices ofthe rolled sheet member.
 7. An extendible member comprising: anelongated sheet member which is reversibly configurable between a rolledform and an un-rolled, longitudinally extended form, in said extendedform said sheet member assuming a curled form and having inner and outersurfaces; and at least one resilient sheet element, each said sheetelement being fixed along a length thereof to said outer surface along alength direction thereof, said sheet elements being resilient, wherebyupon extension of the sheet member the sheet elements protrude outwardsfrom the outer surface of the sheet member, but upon rolling of thesheet member the sheet elements flex so as to lie within the intersticesof the rolled sheet member.
 8. An extendible member comprising: anelongated sheet member which is reversibly configurable between a rolledform and an un-rolled, longitudinally extended form, in said extendedform said sheet member assuming a curled form and having inner and outersurfaces; and at least one resilient sheet element provided on each ofsaid inner and outer surfaces, each said sheet element being fixed alonga length thereof to said respective surface along a length directionthereof, said sheet elements being resilient, whereby upon extension ofthe sheet member the sheet elements protrude inwards and outwards fromthe surfaces of the sheet member, but upon rolling of the sheet memberthe sheet elements flex so as to lie within the interstices of therolled sheet member.
 9. An extendible member comprising: a first,elongated sheet member which is reversibly configurable between a rolledform and an un-rolled, longitudinally extended form, in said extendedform said first sheet member assuming a curled form and having inner andouter surfaces; and at least one resilient sheet element provided on atleast one of said surfaces of said first sheet member, a firstlongitudinal edge of at least one said sheet element being fixed to saidrespective surface along a length direction thereof and said sheetelement extending from a plane of the respective surface upon extensionof the first sheet member, a second longitudinal edge of said sheetelement being attached to a second member, whereby said second memberlies in the interstices of the rolled first sheet member when the firstsheet member is in the rolled form, and when the first sheet member isextended to the extended form, said second member is separated from therespective surface of the first sheet member and spaced from therespective surface by the at least one resilient sheet element.
 10. Anassembly comprising a first extendible, rollable member according toclaim 2, and a second extendible, rollable member, wherein at least onesaid protrusion is fixed along a first longitudinal edge thereof to saidrespective surface and is fixed along a second longitudinal edgethereof, spaced from said first edge, to said second extendable,rollable member, whereby said second member lies between the turns ofsaid sheet member in said rolled form and is separated from therespective surface of the sheet member by the at least one resilientprotrusion in said extended form.
 11. An assembly comprising a firstextendible, rollable member according to claim 3, and a secondextendible, rollable member, wherein at least one said protrusion isfixed along a first longitudinal edge thereof to said respective surfaceand is fixed along a second longitudinal edge thereof, spaced from saidfirst edge, to said second extendable, rollable member, whereby saidsecond member lies between the turns of said sheet member in said rolledform and is separated from the respective surface of the sheet member bythe at least one resilient protrusion in said extended form.
 12. Anassembly comprising a first extendible, rollable member according toclaim 4, and a second extendible, rollable member, wherein at least onesaid protrusion is fixed along a first longitudinal edge thereof to saidrespective surface and is fixed along a second longitudinal edgethereof, spaced from said first edge, to said second extendable,rollable member, whereby said second member lies between the turns ofsaid sheet member in said rolled form and is separated from therespective surface of the sheet member by the at least one resilientprotrusion in said extended form.
 13. A member according to claim 1,wherein each said protrusion is integrally formed with said respectivesurface.
 14. A member according to claim 1, wherein a plurality ofresilient protrusions protrude from the respective surface of the sheetmember.